Philippe Starck in Collaboration with Xiaomi Mi MIX

After showing off the Mi Note 2, Xiaomi Mi Mix unveiled the Mi MIX “concept phone”, in collaboration with Philippe Starck — one that’s headlining with a cool 6.4-inch, edge-to-edge 1080p LCD (even at the top two round corners, and without using the old optical illusion trick).

The high-end device also features glossy, full ceramic body and buttons, with no earpiece or proximity sensor, allowing for a cleaner look on the device’s top edge. And, naturally, as the flagship phone it has flagship specs.

For a moment there, we were wondering why Xiaomi would spend so much time talking about a concept phone, but then, as a final surprise, we learned it’s something people will actually be able to buy.

Philippe Starck collaboration

Xiaomi’s collaboration with famed French designer Philippe Starckon the Mi MIX was another surprise. Barra said the project started in 2014, with Starck’s main contribution being that he helped set the high-level direction for the team. Later on, he was heavily involved in guiding the device’s look and feel. While sharing the stage with Lei, Starck took the opportunity to express his fondness of the ceramic edition Mi 5, which was Xiaomi’s first attempt at using this fancy-looking material. By comparison, the ceramic edition Mi 5 was apparently more difficult to manufacture than the Mi MIX, due to the former’s 3D curve.

Going back to the Mi MIX, you’ll see that the earpiece and infrared proximity sensor have been removed from the top to make way for the edge-to-edge display. It’s so expansive, in fact, that it occupies a whopping 91.3 percent of the available surface space.

Combining these great specs with such an ambitious design, it’s only fair for Barra to call this phone the “Formula One” product from Xiaomi.